The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-10-19

a ffee ana full discussion OF pupno questions III
a State with an average vote OF 2745 TO each
memebrt IL Ia worth while for US In this connec-
ton To note the relative Importance OF these SIX
teen States as compared with the rest OF the
Union, according To the census Of 1880. Total
valuation Of property in the United States was IN
round numbers, s43, sou. 00J oOO In these sixteen
States. 80 500 90 Coz; leaving to all the rest OF
the Union 80 00v, 0OO, OOO so shat those States
have less than one NTH Of the property OF the
United States. Now. turning for a moment TO
our industries. we find that the whole produos
was Us, 1872 OOJ, 900; and the product OF those
sixteen States S532. D 00O0. leaving s4,5T-
W. 900 OF manufactured products for the re-
ma ming states OF tho Union, or more tnhn
seven-eighths Of the whole. 80. II you turn TO
wages paid to lsborers In producing these pro-
ducts, you will find OF the total sv4s,ooo,oJo
only one hundred million Ave hundred thou
sand dollars were paid by these sixteen States,
or less than one-ninth OF the whole amount OF
wages paid 10 persons engaged In manuiact
ures and OF this one hundred million tive
hundred thousand dollars Maryland, Ken
tucky, and Missouri paid ffty-three million
dollars, leaving only forty-seyon million fve
thirteen Southern States. Now, II we look at
the population tables, We ind that out OF the
total population OF nifty millions the South has
but eighteen million nve hundred thousand, as
against thirty-one million nye hundred thou
sand in ali the other states, and OF these
eighteen million i've hundred thousand. one
third, or six million fiye hundred thousand are
colored, and are In a minority i'll numbers, ana
exert no influence ia the selection OF hepresen-
tatiyes. The reason why will not now dis
cuss. IL will DO seen that twelve millions OF
white population in the South dominate anu
control thirty-one millions Of white population
III all the other states OF the Union. With this
relative population, and valuation. and manu-
featured product, and payment OF wages 10 Ia
borers engaged in manufacturing industries, is
il strange that this section OF our country
dominating and controlling the tarin policy OF
he country, should feel indifferent to our great
industries. especially when we know that for
the last nifty years this section OF our country,
has been steadily and constantly taught by
their public men and political leaders that its
interests lie in the direction OF free trade? The
revolution in Virginia last year, whereby Blk
kepu blican members were elected ana with the
rapid development OF the natural resources OF
the Southern States, there 10 certain TO come,
in the near future, an abandonment OF these
old Democratic theories and doctrines and the
establishment there Of sounder views OF the
ton OF American labor and industry; and
which before many years, will result in a divt-
sion of what Is called the solid South" and
the establishment there OF q Republican party
upon an enduring basis.
Mr. Allison then discussed at considerable
length the puDllc-land policy OF the United
States, calling attention 10 the fact that IL is
claimed in the Democratic platform that Presi-
dent Cleveland has inaugurated new land
policy by restoring unearned land grants 70 the
extent OF millions OF acres u the pubic do
main and reserving them for actual settlers
only. That the attempts OF cattle syndicates
to close tracts Of public lands to their own use
have been defeated and that the continuance
of the Democratic administration is guaranty
that not another acre shall be granted 70 spec
ulators or corporations
Mr.. Allison stated that no new land policy
had been adopted by this administration. He
said unearned land grants to the extent OF
about 81, OOO. 90 OF acres have been restored 70
the public domain by acts OF Congress. That
this IS not the policy OF President Cleveland,
but is the policy OF Congress, ana was inaugu-
rated before President Cleveland took the oath
OF office; 30 that in restoring these unearned
lands the Pr, sident is only discharging his
duty in carrying out the will OF Congress as eX-
pressed in our national laws. So with reference
his action respects the appropriation of
large tracts OF public lands by cattle syndicates
for pasturnge purposes.
This inclosure or fencing Of public lands for
the purpose OF pastursge, was absolutely pro
hibted and made unlawful by act OF Congress
passed Feb. 20, 1885, and agreed to by a Demo
ed by President Arthur. That this law made II
the duty OF the District Attorney OF the United
states, for the proper district 70 institute pro
ceedings for the removal OF such unlawful in.
closure or fencing and jurisdiction is conferred
upon United States courts for that purpose; and
70 insure speedy action il is especially provid
ed that precedence for hearing and trial shall
be given to this class OF cases over all othei
cases on the docket and section makes IL the
duty OF the President TO take such measures as
shall be necessary TO remove and destroy any
unlawful inelosure of any of the public lands
ana TO employ civil and military force as may
be necessary for that purpose so that whate vel
the Gresluent mas uOne III THIS regard no nht
done in pursuance OF law and by posi-
tive direction OF law, and had no othel
alternative but to enforce the law
which he has done with reasonable
fidelity. So much in reference TO this for
feiture of lands. And when the platform speaks
Of the public land policy Of the President y
speaks OF a thing which has no existence as dis
tlnct from the policy OF Congress. An effort ii
made TO create the impression that President
Cleveland has restored TO the public domain
large quantities Of public lands which had beer
withhold by Republican administrations prio
TO his Inauguration. and which could
have been promptly restored without inter
vention Of Congress- Mr.. Allison safd h6
was not aware of single instance where this
has been DONE He said il must be remembered
that the policy OF granting lands to railroads
was inaugurated by the Democratic party, anC
continued for eleven years before the Republi
Guns came into power, and that in money value
the lands thus granted were largely in excess %
those made by Republican Congresses and ad
ministrations from 1861 to 1871, although less
if measured in acres. The great bnlk OF toe
lands granted after 1861 by the Republican party
was made to railroads intended to be construct
ed east and west, through practically unin
habited country, being pro iocted 10 connect the
Missouri River and the great lakes with the Pa
| chic Ocean these grants. although large in
area, were made through a country OF sparse
population, stretching over n long extent OF
arid plains and through practically inaccessi
| bic and uninhabited mountain regions. Tbes,
| lands had, when granted, little value in
practical or money sense, as all mineral lands
| object and aim OF these grants was three-fold
| first, to secure q transcontinental iron path
| way to the Pacific Ocean, with n view of closely
| identifying the Pacific coast States with tn,
remainder Of the country; secondly, to enable
| the Government to transport its supplies fo
the support of the army in subduing tn,
| hostile tribes OF Indians and thirdly, for tn,
| purpose of developing the mineral resources
| Of that mountainous region He said he die
not argue the wisdom or unwisdom OF thes,
| grants, but that il ought to be remembered
that Democrats and Republicans alike sup
| ported them in Congress-. and that both polti
cal platforms in 1850 requested them TO b,
| made. and that there was no public crit
cism adverse to them at the time they wer
made, or more OF them were made. He callet
attention to the fact that since 1872 and up 4
| the present time, no public man or leading
statesman OF any party. had proposed to maxi
| further grants Of the public domain in aid O
railways or other corporations, ard that sine
| that time no such grants have been made. -
that after the lapse of fifteen years il is hardl,
necessary To oppose in n platform the policy o
| making grants OF public lands in aid OF corpora
| tions. He said il should not be forgotten tina
! the Republican party, in 1862, established tn
! policy Of the homestea law, whereby 100 acre
of land could be acquired by settlement, for
period of five years. He also called attention L
the fact that at the last session OF Congress, Ii
obedience to public opinion Congress passed
stringent law against the acquisition OF publ
lands, or large bodies of lands, in the Terrific
ries, by persons not citizens of the Unite'
States, or by foreign corporations or syndicates
| This law also provides that no corporation
except railroads shall acquire or own NOR
than 500 acres OF land In the Terrific
ries OF the United States AMI that no rail
road corporation shall hereafter acquire, own